


...and it's getting dark

by Naniris



Series: Ashterson on Mars [1]
Category: Black Mirror (TV), Paterson (2016), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe - Mars, Angst with a Happy Ending, Ashterson, I think it counts as a fix-it, Kylux Adjacent Ship, M/M, Robot/Human Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 02:52:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17779193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naniris/pseuds/Naniris
Summary: Ashterson Mars AU where Ash is a Mars Android Explorer that lost too much power and couldn't boot back on. Inspired by Opportunity and her sisters, the little rovers that could.





	...and it's getting dark

It was lonely work for Ash, yet fulfilling nonetheless. More versatile than a rover, yet more durable than a person; he had an important mission. To map out dangers and set up a base for future explorers. 

As his parts wore down or broke (tumbling down a crater was an 'exciting' day), he had to make do.

He'd report his days and receive instructions after several minutes delay. Snapped a tendon on a foot? Wrap it tight and fashion a cane. Keep pushing forward; limp, crawl, drag, just keep moving. 

The mission was planned for 300 sols and he's on sol 7536 when he couldn't cobble a solution anymore.

The dust storm had started to rage worldwide. He stood in the open gathering samples/measurements/photos at first, but his batteries were getting less effective. Didn't hold as much of a charge anymore and he needed to conserve the bit he had left.

Turning on just enough to check his power levels and keep his batteries warm; determine if he should wipe off the solar panels (no, would fill with dust within seconds again). Send a message to Earth that he's still there, staying on long enough to confirm Earth was still listening.

Towards the end, he asked if he could sing to himself, just hum a tune like he had been allowed once for his birthday.

It was denied. Conserve power, follow protocol and check in at the scheduled time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
~*~*~*~  
*~*  
*  
Ash couldn't wake up.  
*  
*~*  
~*~*~*~  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a start, Ash powered on in an oxygen-rich room. Sensors picked up breathable air and CO2 as produced by an organism. His parameters started to initiate a burst of data to send to Earth (he found life, he found it!) when a man with a soft smile and kind eyes entered his range of vision.

"Welcome back to the land of the living"

Ash hadn't heard a voice in decades. Just packets of cold data. He felt compelled to use his own voice (a response must be permissible, surely) "Hello, my name is Ash, a Mars Explorer."

"Hi, Ash. Name's Paterson, I'm a Mars Explorer too"

✫ . 　 　　　* ✵ 　  
　　 　　  
　　　 　 　 * 　　 . 　  
　. * · ˚ 　　 ✦ ⊹  
　 · 　　　 　 　 　　　　  
　 　　　 ˚ 　 　　  
　　　 ˚ 　　　　　　　 ⊹ * . *

Paterson is on a long term mission on Mars; he's recovering the rovers and a singular android for company. Showed up on his Interplanetary Bus, a nickname for the shuttle, decades since Ash’s last transmission. His first mission, besides surviving entry, was to give Ash a new battery, replace the broken joints and hope that world-class engineering held up. 

A lot of the concern of a human-led mission to Mars is that it's extremely difficult to get back to Earth. Not impossible. Nothing is impossible but the timescale surpassed human life expectancy. Still, there were many people vying to be a candidate for a one way trip. An ethical conundrum. 

Fortunately, Ash provided enough data to help Paterson live a long life on the Red Planet. 

The lonesome android was never forgotten, so many discoveries and awe-inspiring photos are still taught to would-be astronauts. And the lesson of protocol versus humanity. During the last transmission, Ash’s reserves were critically low and all non-essentials were offline. To start up his voice would be too much of a drain and Command was hoping the light would reach him soon enough.

A pragmatic decision, made with tears in their eyes. The sorrow couldn't be conveyed to Ash.

Paterson was tested on his singing ability to ensure he could sing-along during Ash’s re-birthday, as a lark. Except not really.

Command was adamant of it being a requirement.

✷ 　　 　　 ˚ .  
　　　　　 　 * 　　 　 .  
　 ·  
· + ⋆ 　　  
　　 . ·  
✫ 　　　 · *  
　 ·  
Ash walked the windswept desert with his body exposed, nimble once more with his fixed parts. Paterson followed along in his protective suit, wondering at the stillness of a world first conquered by machines. 

Science never stops. Instead of waiting for instruction in informational bursts every dozen minutes, Paterson and Ash chose their projects more freely. Two pairs of hands continued to build and set the groundwork for the next explorers. Created the paths and cataloged the pitfalls. Completed tests, then repeated it again and again to confirm findings. It’s methodically fun.

Experiments don’t end in the lab. Unable to keep from commenting, Ash specified every characteristic Paterson has that proved he’s alive. Inspected him as closely as he’s analyzed a rock; except he didn’t pulverize, drill or laser him into bits at least.

Paterson shared his body for review, but also his words and thoughts.

You know that line "They should have sent a poet?”

Well, they did. 

Paterson regularly wrote his free-verse poems about a Martian sunrise, shared discovery and quiet company. Ash enjoyed experiencing the emotional rhythm of it. 

In order for Ash to:  
\- react in real time to any danger, they gave him ingenuity.  
\- explore new discoveries outside of planned parameters, they gave him curiosity.  
\- dedicate his existence to the cause, they gave him loyalty.

Then they sent him Paterson and slowly they found love.

Two hearts caught in geosynchronous orbit.

They are home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my friends on Twitter for cheering me on and inspiring me to develop the story a little more!
> 
> Thank you, Oppy! For being such an inspiration!
> 
> Star fields credited to @tiny_star_field


End file.
